The present invention is a device for eliminating unpleasant odors in bathrooms and the like. In particular it is a device for dispersing a fragrance or deodorant into the air of a bathroom when a conventional flush type toilet therein is flushed.
That efforts have been made for a number of years to try to find an effective system for eliminating unpleasing ordors in bathrooms is evidenced by the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,550 and the prior art patents described therein. It is believed the reason that devices and systems for eliminating odors in bathrooms are not in significant use today despite the number of different ones known in the prior art is because previously known systems and devices are too complex and/or expensive to be practical or have not worked effectively.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a bathroom deodorizing device that is practical, economical and effective.
The device of the present invention uses readily available conventional pressurized containers of deodorant or fragrance and is adapted to be connected to a conventional flush toilet mechanism without having to provide expensive special fixtures or having to modify the mechanism. The device makes economical use of the deodorant or fragrance by dispensing it only when the toilet is flushed, which is usually the time when it is most effective.
The device of this invention consists of a support for a conventional container of a deodorant or fragrance under pressure which has a valve that releases vaporized deodorant or fragrance when the valve is depressed. The support also carries a battery operated electrical means for rotating a lever arm in a direction to depress the container valve to release vapor. The electrical means may be any suitable means such as a d.c. electric motor connected through a gear train to rotate the lever arm, or, alternatively, a solenoid having its armature linked to rotate the lever arm.
The electrical means is actuated by a tilt switch that is mounted on the actuation arm of the toilet flushing mechanism in a position such that the switch closes a cicuit which connects the electrical means to batteries to actuate the electrical means and cause the container valve to be opened and dispense vapor when the actuation arm of the flushing mechanism moves from its usual `at rest` position when the toilet is flushed.
It will be appreciated that though this device is adapted primarily for use in combination with a conventional flush toilet in a bathroom, it has other useful applications. The essential feature of the device of this invention is that it releases a vapor when a movable element, such as the actuation arm of a toilet flushing mechanism, moves in a predetermined direction from a usual `at rest` position. Thus the device can be connected to dispense a deodorant or fragrance when a garbage can lid is raised, or to disperse vaporized insect repellant when a screen door is opened, for example.